Improvement in car-couplings



v 2 Sheets--Sheet I.

W. A. BUYDEN.

' Bar-Couplings. N0. 143,055. Patented September23,1873.

FIG-1 U NITED, Snares WILLIAM A. BOYDEN, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,055, datedSeptember 23, 1873; application filed May 2-2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. BOYDEN, of Harrisburg, in the county ofDauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a Safety and SelfCoupler for Railroad-Oars, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to the combination and arrangement of a swingingpin connected with a lever, which is elevated by means of a lifting arm,cam, or eccentric, on a horizon tal shaft, which extends from one sideof the platform to the other, and is provided with a lever at each end,so that the cars may be uncoupled from the outside to avoid the dan gerof getting between them.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a platform having the improved couplerin connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3is a vertical section at the line a w of Fig. 1. Fig. 4-, Sheet No. 2,is a reverse plan. Fig. 5 is a front view of the rocking-shaft 13,having levers D D, lifting arm F, and ratchet-wheels E E. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the lever Gr.

Likeletters in all the figures indicate the same parts.

A is a platform of acar. B is a rockingshaft connected therewith at eachside by means of bearings G C. The shaft is provided with a lever, D,and ratchet-wheel E at each end, and a lifting-arm, F, in the middle. Gis a lever pivoted, at its rear end, to lugs a. a, which project upwardfrom the upper side of the draw-bar H,as seen clearly in Fig. 3. Theswinging connecting-pin I is pivoted to the front end of the lever, thelatter being cut away at b to admit of the pin swinging backward as theconnecting-link J strikes it, when the cars are brought to.- gether forcoupling and the pin is in its vertical position, thus admitting of itslower end being raised over the end of the link until the latter passesit. Then the pin falls down into the vertical position, the fall bein gmade positive and expeditiously by means of the spring K, which bearsupon the lever G. When the link J advances in the drawbar the wirespring L yields to the pressure of the sliding plate M, against whichthe rear end of the link bears, but forces the plate back again into theposition seen in Fig.3, when the connecting-pin has fallen into itsvertical position and coupled the cars.

, When the cars are to be uncoupled the brakesman, standing at one sideof the same, bears the lever D backward, by which the liftingarm F isborne upward, so as to elevate the connecting-pin I, to free it from thelink J, and, if desired, engages the pawl N with the ratchet-wheel E tohold the link in its elevated position. The front end of the draw-barhas horizontal partitions d to provide for separate spaces, 0, ofdifferent heights, to receive the link J in accommodation to dilferencesin the heights of cars to be coupled together. The front end of thedrawbar is held by and permitted to slide in the yoke O. The rear end isconnected with the front end of the horizontal rod 1", the rear end ofwhich is connected with the stationary plate Q, and the front end withthe sliding plate Q, whose ends fit in the boxes It It. The said slidingplate Q is pressed forward by the helical spring S, which yields to thebackward pressure of the draw-bar.

I am aware that rocking-shafts have been used for elevating theswingingpin for uncoupling the cars, the pin being pivoted to an arm of thelever. My arrangement, in which the pin is hinged to a separate lever,is I think far preferable, as the lever may be made of any desiredlength so as to give a free and easy movement to the pin.

I claim as my invention- The combination and arrangement of therocking-shaft B provided with levers D D, and lifting-arm F with thelever G, and swin ging connectin g-pin I, substantially in the mannerand for the purpose above described.

WILLIAM A. BOYDEN.

Witnesses OLIVER EDWARDS, WM. W. Ross.

